Cycle-frame.



L. JOHNS.

CYCLE FRAME.

APPLICATION FILED PEB.24,1913

Patented sept. 1,1914.

2 SHEBTSASHEET 1.

Zzf/LO/IZZO/'x THE AORRIS PETERS COA4 FHOTU-u Inu., WASHINGTON. D. C.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

Patented Sept. 1, 1914.

THE .JQRRIS PETERS Cov. PHOTO LlrHo.. wAbHlNuroN. nv .I.

show.l ofI the practical and usefulytypes f, nurnnaaonus, or oAKrARK, Yinniners.H y

. To all 'whom' it maa/caneda:

Be it knownthat I,-LU'rnnn JOHNS,l 'ai citizen of the United States,i residing4 at Oak Park, in the county. of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented ycertain new ,and

useful Improvementsl iny Cycle-F rames, of which thelfollowing .is a specification.

My inventiony relatesfto frames ,for bi-l cycles, tricycles, andy the like, and has more particular' reference to frames y of cycles I adapted to the carrying of store parcelsand similar articles. f

The principal objects..k of ymy invention are to provide al frame which shall be strong and durable, .well able`- to withstand the shocks4 to whichv suchv cycles are subjected; which shall permit of the carrying of con-` siderable loads without straining the parts injuriously; andpin some constructions, to produce a shorterand-L more compact frame than isusual or', heretofore considered possible 'in' cycles` of fthis type; yinother constructions to provideaffra-me for what` may be termed a ladysbicycle for .use as in `vmarketing; .and in alIfOrms', to combine rigidity and strength withy cheapness "of construction, lightness-of'parts, and attractiveness of design. g,

Other objects are to render more ,.safe, cheap, satisfactory and `attractivefthel de` livery ofy parcels by means of abicycle yor tricycle. j e ,e

Stillother objects will `appear khereinafter.y l l I am awarethat package-carrying. bicycles have heretofore been suggested in whichv a loop member or package receptacle frame is locatedin'essentially the same ,relative position in the frame as is illustrated in the drawings herewith, and I do not claim such loop element as original with'me,-` f

My ypresent invention resides more par-y ticularly in the novel combination of such a package carrier frame with certain ybracing elements and frame reaches, and in lcertainangular dispositions `of variousparts which I employ variously in various conj structions for* producing packagecarrying ycles havingthe advantages hereinabove yset forth. f

Y In the accompanying drawings foriningifa part kof this specification I have picturedv several embodiments Y of my invention g1 but it is to`be understood. that these-figures ,are illustrative only and.; are .not intended Yto v Y y \Patented Sept.1,1914; Appncatin mea rebmaryzl, 1913. .serial 110.750,079. e

of. frame which may be]k made in 'accordancey withV the improvements vherein set forth.

Infthese drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of a package carrying bicycle having a frame. embodying'my inventionin a pre ferred formt-Fig. EKZisk a top plan kof thev cycleshownin Fig. `l.; Figs. 3, 4 and 5 are side views ofinodifiedl forms of cyclel frames containing my i1nprovements5pFig'. f6 is a perspective showing one adaptation 'of my eoy improved frame tov tricycle'constructioni F1g.'7 1s afragnientary top Iplan -showing the loop "element of the frame connected to' vthe steering headjby means of ka short bar; Fig. 8rr and Fig. 9 show yrespectively side and top views of a form ,of `coupling which I have" found suitable for connecting the loop i element of the framefwiththe steering head."

Referring to' Fig. e l,y the steering yhead may be of the 'usual kind and isformed for the receptiongof a steering' spindle, `mounted therein in any approvedmanner and carrying the' wheel fork llfandfithe steeringv handle 12` wheel y13, shown in diagram,y is mounted'to ro'tatebetweenthe arms of theffork 11,'The seat xpost lety carries a `j crankhanger :15in the usual way, `vand also n seat post will be understood as describing.

and including a reach extending to thecrank hanger.

Betweenthe steering head-and the seat post (or crank-hanger) Iprovide the reach 17, the'same being in rigid connection with y l thesteering head and seat post. This brac# ing rod orl reachl may extend rearwardlyin afdirect lineas in Figs. 1 and 6, or may pro-y ceedl substantially `horizontally 'for a space and then dipdownwardly as Jin Figs. 3, 4 i

and 5, or it may have any suitable and ap# propriate line `orf-lines of, direction. `This lower reach 17 is rigidlyy connected with they saddle postfll, preferably nearthetop of thelatter by ymeans yof brace 18.V

.A ypackage-carrying yframe or loop ymember is ,providedpreferably extending rearwardf fromy the top,.,j` `ortion*.ofl the steering and rigidly connectedgrthlerewith, i

either by having its laterally extending arms or the front bar 20-20 of the frame united directly with the steeringihea'd'or indirectly by means of a coupling, for instance as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, or through the agency of a short bar 2O*a (see Fig. 7) whichv is rigidly connected with both the steering head and the front bars lor bar 20-20 of the package-carrier frame. This package-carrier frame is preferably made rectangular inshape, in'. which formitis provided with` ay brace or connection rearwardly and downwardly, this connection 25 being rigidly secured tothe rear member 22 of the carrier frame andwiththe brace18, or it may be integral with the loop. A light, substantially vertical bracing rod y2.7, mayA be provided between the brace 18 and the carrier-framemember22 for heavy work, and also a brace 28 connected with they steere ing' head, either directly or indirectly, (as by connecting it with the reach 17 as shown)` and with the brace 18,v although these ele-V ments 27 and 28 are not always required.

. To the rear of the seat post I provide ya forked support or wheel standard 30 connected at its upper end with theseat post by means of' a bolt inthe usualmanner; and a lower forked bracing member 31 rig-` idly connected wtih. the crank hanger 15 or saddle post 14v in the usual way and extend ing rearwardly therefrom and having its arms either integral or connected with the corresponding'arms ofthe fork 31. f A driving wheel 32 (shown in diagram) ismount ed to rotate between the forks ofthe frames or standards 30 and 31 and may be mounted therebetween in any approved way.` The crank hanger 15 is adapted to support rota-V tively the pedal cranks 33, on the shaft of which (not shown)A may be mounted a sprocket 34 carrying the chain 35 passing over the sprocket 3G on the shaft of the rear wheel 32, all4 in a manner well known inthe art. The sprockets and chain* are also shown in'r diagrammatic form. y'

The. package-carrier frame or loop is adapted to support a package-carrier 40, which may vcomprise a bottom, sides and ends of light .sheet metal,l compositionor preferably, Yof wire fabric, and such package carrier maybe secured to, the loop member in, any approved way,` 'as byV means of `hooks or straps 41.' A lidy 42 "covering all' or of the package receptacle 40 may be hinged as at43 to some part of the package-carrier frame. vIf the package-carrier be made of Vlight `foraminous material, it is preferable .to provide the same with marginal supporting rods `44. Y

In 3 I have illustrated a frame in which the' main reach 17 has a portion 17a substantially horizontal and adapted to support the. bottom ofv the package 'receptacle 40. In this particular instance I have illustrated the steering head 10 as slanting forward at av considerable angle and have shown the same'angular disposition of the rear wall of the package receptacle. By this arrangement the knees of the operator have greater freedom, and, if desired, a shorter frame may be provided.

' In Fig. 4 I have shown the brace 18a as extending upward from the lower reach 17---17il to substantially the top of the package-carrier loop and thence vcurving to the rear and secured rigidly withl the saddle post 14. "In this construction the rear portion of the package-carrier frame is 'rigidly secured directly tothe brace 18l In Fig. I have shown a form of frame in which the brace 18b is rigidly secured to the lower part of the reach .17-17r`and at its-upper end to they saddle post 14, thus providing a frame having suliicient space between the seat post and the package-car* rier to permit of the suitable operation of the cycle'hbyya woman wearing the usual undivided skirts, should such use of the bicycle be'found desirable. In this form I preferably provide an upstanding brace 27"L rigidly connected at the top with the carrier frame' and at the bottom with the lower reach 17-175, and between the carrier frame and the brace 18b I preferably provide the link 50 connected to the parts last mentioned by means of bolts 51. This link 50k is provided to insure greater rigidity at such times as the cycle may be used by a man in the ordinary way, this form being thus readily convertible to different uses.

In the tricycle pictured in Fig. G thefform of the rear forks orstandards of the bicycle frames shown are well illustrated, but in this figure they are separated considerably beyond'the requirements of the bicycle, and this in .order to provide .for two wheels at the rear, the wheels naturally being placed outside of the forks.` In this ligure I have also shown a. rigid frame for the package carrier, comprising not only the upper mem-i` bers 20, 21 and 22 as in the other forms described, but also alower frame of substaning head 10 and to the bracing member 18 at appropriatepoints.

My improved frame may be constructed by any approved method of making cycle frames, and of any suitable materials, all of which are Well understood and known by those skilled in the art; but I prefer to employ light-weight tubular steel of the form, character and size commonly used for bicycle frames. Cycles provided with such frames respectively are used in the ordinary way, except that packages and other suitablel articles may be placed, as is intended, within the receptacle carrier 40 and so transported conveniently from place to place. This frame may of course also be used in powerdriven bicycles and the like.

While I have illustrated and described various embodiments of my limprovements in cycle frames it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that changes may be made in the arrangement of parts and in the details of construction shown without departing from the Spiritr of my invention, and reference should be had to the appended claims to determine its scope.

I claim:

l. In a package carrying cycle frame, the combination of a steering head, a saddle post, a reach extending from the steering head to the saddle post, a brace extending from said reach to said saddle post, wheel supporting elements for the frame, and a package-carrier frame extending from said steering head and connected to said brace, substantially as described.

2. In a package carrying cycle frame, the combination of a steering head, a seat post, means connected with said seat post for supporting a wheel, a reach connecting said steering head and said seat post, a brace connecting said reach and said seat post, a package-carrier frame connected to said steering head, and a bracing element extending from said brace to said package-carrier frame.

Copies of this patent may 'be obtained for said steering head and said seat post, a brace package-carrier frame connected vto said steering head, and a connection between said carrier frame and said brace.

4. In a package carrying cycle, the combination of a seat post, a wheel standard, a steering head, a reach extending from said steering head to said seat post, a brace extending from said reach to saidk seat post, a package-carrier frame connected to said steering head, a connection between said carrier frame and said brace, and a package receptacle supported by said frame, the rear wall of said package receptacle forming an acute angle with the plane of the packagereceptacle frame.

5. In a package-carrying cycle frame, the combination of a seat post, a steering head, a substantially Y-shaped structure having one leg thereof rigidly connected to said steering head and two legs thereof rigidly connected to said seat post, and a packagecarrier frame rigidly connected kto said steering head and to one of the legs of said Y- shaped structure connected to the seat post.

6. In a package-carrying cycle frame, the

connecting said reach and said seat post, a

combination of a steering head, a saddle post, a substantially Y-shaped structure having one leg thereof rigidly connected to said steering head at one portion thereof and the other two legs rigidly connected to said saddle post, and a frame element rigidly connected to said steering head at another portion thereof spaced from said first mentioned portion, said frame element being so connected to another frame part that a frame-wrenching shock upon the upper portion of said saddle post toward said steering head will be communicated simultaneously through said frame element and legs of said Y-shaped structure to spaced apart portions of said steering head, said' frame element having provisions adapted to support a package receptacle intermediate said steering head and saddle post.

l LUTHER JOHNS.

Witnesses M. M. KRrEsAND, T. D. BUTLER.

ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

